


The General's Wife

by theatrejedi



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst and Feels, Arranged Marriage, Celebrations, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friendship, Kissing, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Platonic Relationships, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Rey & Rose Tico Are Best Friends, Rey Needs A Hug, Secret Relationship, Sneaking Around
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:41:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24781732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theatrejedi/pseuds/theatrejedi
Summary: The war is over, and now it's up to the Resistance to start restoring peace to the galaxy. What better way to instill peace than a strong couple to lead the galaxy out of darkness? Leaders in the Resistance agree that Poe and Rey fit the bill, and announce the two's engagement. Unbeknownst to to them, Finn and Poe have been forming a new relationship, and Rey still hasn't gotten over her true love, Ben Solo.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn, Poe Dameron/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo
Comments: 12
Kudos: 20





	1. Victory Celebrations

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everybody! This idea has been swirling in my head for awhile now and I decided to go for it! Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or Star Wars.

Rey could hear the cries of celebration and joy before she even landed on Ajan Kloss. It made sense, the war was over, and the Resistance had won. 

She landed Luke’s X-wing slightly away from everyone else. Once she stumbled out, she scanned the crowd and wandered aimlessly looking for Finn, Poe, and Rose. Finally, she caught Finn out of the corner of her eye, who gestured to Poe. The two men practically ran to greet her. Finn engulfed both of them in a hug, not wanting to let go. Poe grabbed Rey’s hand and gave it a soft squeeze. 

She hadn’t known how much she needed this. To hold her best friends close, and could guarantee that they were safe. There were so many things she wanted to tell them, but right now, all Rey cared about was not letting them go. 

Finn pulled apart, and then grabbed Rey for another hug. Poe moved along to celebrate with some of the other pilots.

“I’m so glad you’re safe.” Finn said, cupping her face. “I thought I lost you. What happened on Exegol?” He asked her, concern in his eyes. Rey let out a puff of air and looked off in the distance, then quickly returned her attention back to Finn. “A lot.” 

Before he could inquire more, Rose came barreling towards them. “Rey!” she called out, squeezing her in a tight hug. “You’re here! You’re alive!” Rey smiled warmly. “That I am.” Finn took a step back to let them have their moment and placed a hand on Rose’s shoulder. 

Rose took a step back and looked at Rey, examining her up and down. Dirt and blood stained her clothing and skin, making her look like she was in a worse condition than she actually was. 

“We should get you to the medbay.” Rose said, pulling Rey by the hand. Rey went to object and turned to Finn for back up, and he shook his head. “She’s right Rey. I will see you later, okay?” He embraced her one last time before the two women made their way through the crowd. 

Once they arrived at the medbay, Rey was taken back to an examination room, while Rose stayed in the waiting area. Rey sat on the examination table, and stared off. She wanted nothing more in that moment than to just go back to her quarters. That sweet thought was interrupted by a nurse softly knocking and letting herself in. 

“Hello Rey, I’m Fane, I’ll be your nurse for this wellness examination. And can I just say, thank you for everything you’ve done for the Resistance, you’re the reason we’ve won the war.” 

Rey just smiled and nodded, not quite able to muster a proper response. 

The exam was fairly routine, and only took around twenty minutes. Fane took a minute to review some notes on her datapad, and turned to look at Rey. 

“Everything seems to be good, great actually. For someone who was just in battle, you’re in great health. A little tired and worn out, but that’s to be expected. I recommend getting some rest, you deserve it.” Rey smiled and thanked the nurse, who excused herself and left Rey alone. 

Rey made her way to the waiting area, where Rose stood up and looked at her friend anxiously. “How did everything go?” She asked, slightly fidgeting her hands. 

“Great, clean bill of health.” Rey said, smiling. Rose had a surprised expression on her face, but also sighed in relief. “Thank the stars. What do you want to do? Go back with the guys, or-” Rey put a hand up, cutting Rose off. 

“I think I’ll just go back to my quarters. I’ll catch up with everyone later.” 

Rose gave her a soft smile. “Are you sure?” 

“Positive.” 

Rose pulled Rey in for another tight hug before they parted. “I’ll see you later, alright?” Rose asked her.

“Yes!” Rey exclaimed. She tried to hide the anxiousness in her voice. She wanted to get back to her quarters, and  _ now _ . 

The two women left the medbay, and Rey went towards the corridor where her quarters were, as Rose went in the separate direction, waving. 

When Rey arrived, she took a deep breath before entering, and released it once she entered her room. She looked around her quarters, and it felt like she hadn’t been there in  _ ages _ . It was only a few weeks ago that her, Finn, and Poe left for their mission, but if she didn’t know any better, it could’ve been years ago. 

She was a different person than she was the last time she was there, more mature. The last few days had brought months-no, years- worth of emotion. Heartbreak, joy, you name it, Rey had experienced it. She inhaled deeply and sat down on her bed, drowning herself in her thoughts, thoughts of  _ him _ .

Ben. He had turned from the dark side, like Rey had always anticipated. He had helped her defeat Palpatine, and sacrificed himself to save her. Rey both was grateful and resented him for that last part. 

Grateful, for the obvious. He had saved her life, without him, she wouldn’t be alive. Wouldn’t be able to hug her friends, to celebrate winning the war, to finally, once and for all, feel safe and content. 

Resentful, for the less obvious. The pair were a dyad in the Force- a true rarity. Once their bond grew, Rey saw Ben’s future, or should she say,  _ their _ future. Her vision showed the two of them, together, training the next generation of Jedi. By transferring his life energy to her, he took that away from her. Part of her would always hold a grudge against him for that. 

Tears burst from her eyes, causing her body to start shaking. Rey felt somewhat confused, were these tears of sadness? Joy? Perhaps a little bit of both. But all she knew was that it felt damn good to finally release them, to finally allow herself to express the emotions that had been building up for so long. 

Her whole body shook with sobs, so much so that she almost didn’t hear the knocking on the door. 

“Rey…?” Finn asked, peeking his head through the door. He raised his eyebrows in shock seeing her upset. “Rey!” he exclaimed, quickly coming into her quarters, Poe following behind. 

“What’s the matter?” he asked her, joining her on the bed. Poe sat down on the other side of Rey, keeping a small distance between the two of them. They were close, but they weren’t nearly as much as she and Finn were, and he didn’t want to cross any boundaries, especially when she was this upset. 

“Just..” Rey sniffled and wiped her nose. “... a lot I guess. I don’t know.” Finn gave her a sympathetic look and rubbed her back gently. “You can tell me-us anything. You know that right?” 

Rey nodded. She wanted to come clean, tell them everything- how Ben saved her, their connection, her family ties…. But she wasn’t sure how they'd react. Maybe she would tell them, eventually, but that time was not now. 

“The nurse…” she started, stopping to clear her throat and pull herself together. “... said I was tired and worn out. Everything must be catching up.” Both of the men nodded in agreement. 

“You’re right.” Poe said, tilting his head. “Taking on Palpatine alone was a mighty task. You really deserve to just relax for awhile.” 

Rey felt her stomach twist into knots at Poe’s words. She just nodded though, not having the energy nor courage to correct him. 

“And you’re safe now.” Finn added in. “There’s nothing to be upset or worried about.”

Rey just kept nodding, staring at the floor. Little did Finn know, there  _ was _ something to be upset about. 

Poe cautiously filled the space between him and Rey, placing a hand on her shoulder. “If you ever need anything,  _ anything _ , we’re here for you.” He looked up to Finn and gestured towards him. “We  _ all _ got each other’s back.” 

Finn nodded. “He’s right Rey.” 

She smiled. “Thank you guys, really. I just… just want to be alone right now, and shower.” She said, forcing out a chuckle and gesturing towards the ‘fresher. Finn and Poe both nodded and understood. Finn pulled her in for another hug while Poe stood up. Before they reached the door, Poe quickly spun around. 

“Tonight. Everyone’s celebrating, there’s going to be bonfires, good food, fireworks, dancing-the works. It’ll be a hell of a party, and you should come.” Finn pointed at Poe and nodded. “Yes, you should absolutely come.” He said, turning back to Rey. 

Rey flashed them a grin. “Then I absolutely will.” 

Finn put his fists up in celebration, causing Rey to genuinely laugh, something she hadn’t done in weeks. 

“We’ll see you later then.” Poe said, leading Finn out of her quarters. Rey gave them a small wave as she turned and walked to her ‘fresher. 

She looked at herself in the mirror, and watched herself take out her buns, letting her hair fall down past her shoulders. The tears quickly found their way into her eyes again, as she began to cry. She leaned up against the sink for support as the sobbing started again. “Ben,” she started, looking up at the ceiling. “Wherever you are, be with me...please.” 

Once they reached the other side of her door, Finn put a hand on Poe’s chest, to stop him from walking any further. He looked up at the other general with a frantic look in his eye. “Do you think she picked up on it?” 

Turns out, Rey wasn’t the only one keeping secrets. 

The feelings between the two men were always there, and had started to flourish after the Battle of Crait. Something about a raging war really gets people going. Finn could still remember the day Poe asked him to be a co-general with him, the same day those feelings were made known. 

“I can’t do this alone, I need you in command with me.” Poe said, with a hand on Finn’s shoulder.

“Are you serious?” Finn had asked.

“I’m serious… general.” 

It was at that moment Finn felt it, the spark between him and Poe. Without thinking or giving himself time to react, he pulled the other man in for a kiss. It caught Poe by surprise at first, but he quickly returned it, and grabbed Finn’s face. After a moment, Poe pulled back and looked at him. 

“Well. Wasn’t expecting that, but I’m not complaining.” Poe said, smirking. 

They chose not to put a label on it, due to the fact that either one of them could have died at any point during battle. They limited it to kissing and the occasional hookup- but now that the war was over and they were victorious, maybe it was time to start exploring labels. 

“Would you relax?” Poe said, pulling Finn’s hand away and starting to walk. “It’s not like we made out in front of her. She has no idea.” Finn nodded as he caught up to him. “You’re right.” 

Poe abruptly stopped, causing Finn to gently bump into the back of him. He turned around to face him. “I always am.” He said, grinning, and kissed Finn. 

“Come on! Someone could see!” Finn exclaimed, nervously looking around. 

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Poe started, moving closer to the other man and deepening his voice. “Would you like to take it to my quarters?”

Finn’s eyes widened, understanding what he meant. “Are you kidding me?” He paused for a fast second, to keep Poe on his toes. “Yes!” The two of them scurried off towards Poe’s quarters. 

Rey had finished cleaning herself up, scrubbing away the only thing left of Ben. She put on a fresh tunic, and left her hair wet and down as she started to meditate. However, before she could fully focus, her exhaustion overcame her body and she drifted off into a much-needed nap. 

She was abruptly woken up by a loud “boom” outside her window, a firework. Jolting up, Rey realized that she had slept for several hours. She could faintly hear the sounds of people yelling outside, it was clear that the celebrations were really kicking off. 

She stretched and got out of bed, quickly adjusting herself. She went to pull her hair back, per usual, but paused and looked at herself in the mirror.  _ Screw it _ , she thought to herself. She looked over herself one last time and made her way out the door. 

When she made it outside, she could feel the happiness radiating off of everyone there. She hadn’t seen this many happy people since the Festival of the Ancestors on Pasaana, but this time she too could indulge in the celebrations. 

Rey navigated her way through the crowd, exchanging pleasantries with everyone she passed. There were people dancing, sitting with loved ones, hugging, and smiling. It warmed Rey’s heart to see everyone so joyus. It almost helped her to forget the pain she was feeling earlier. Almost. 

Finally, she saw her friends grouped around one of the several bonfires. 

“Rey!” Finn called out, gesturing for her to come over. “So glad you made it! Your hair! It… it looks good.” He said, nodding encouragingly. 

She brushed a hand through it and smiled. “Thanks. Thought it was time for a change.” She made her way closer to the group and sat down next to Rose, who handed her a drink. 

“Rey, there’s someone I want you to meet.” Finn said, waving a hand to the woman next to him. Rey hadn’t recognized her when she sat down, but didn’t want to be rude. “This is Jannah, she’s an ex-stormtrooper, like me. She really helped us on Exegol.” He turned towards her and smiled. 

“It’s an honor to meet you Rey. You’ve done so much for everyone here.” 

Rey smiled. “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you as well.” 

For the rest of the night, the five of them talked and laughed. There was a happy feeling in the air, as they were now truly able to let their hair down, at least for a little while. 

The next five days held the same routine. The base would be fairly quiet during the day, but calm. Then, once nightfall came, the celebration would break out again. Rey hadn’t been this happy in a long time. However, there was still that piece missing in her heart, Ben. Often when she was with her friends, her mind would wander and she would fantasize about what it would be like if he was there with her. She tried to push it away, but she was still being somewhat distant. Thankfully, for the time being, she was able to play it off as tiredness. She knew though that eventually she would  _ have _ to tell someone her secret. 

She would have never guessed that that “someone” would be Poe. 

  
  



	2. The Engagement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn and Poe anxiously anticipate the meeting to start rebuilding the Republic, while Rey and Rose try to unwind. At the meeting, a plan is proposed that fixes to change everyone's lives and the future of the Resistance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in what seems like forever! These past few weeks have been very busy, but I'm hoping to have a more set posting schedule now! That being said, enjoy the chapter!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or Star Wars.

As celebrations began to wind down, murmurs began to rise about what came next. The First Order was defeated, so naturally everyone’s mind began to wonder about what was in store for the Republic. 

All eyes fell on Finn and Poe. It made sense of course, being that the two men were co-generals. For the longest time, the two men had hoped to lead the rebuilding of the Republic, but now that it was actually here, they had no idea where to start and the pressure was on. 

Poe leaned against the wall in his bed, shirtless, watching Finn pace around the room. 

“You need to stop getting yourself so worked up.” He said casually. 

Finn immediately stopped in his tracks and glared at the other man, a mixture of anger and stress in his eyes. 

“Well, one of us should be worried! Tomorrow, less than twenty-four hours from now, we’re going to have to come up with a plan to start rebuilding.  _ Us _ !” He shook his head into his hand and resumed the nervous pacing. 

Poe tilted his head up to look at the ceiling and let out a frustrated huff. “Finn, how many times have I told you? Tomorrow is just a meeting to start brainstorming ideas, not have a full set plan in motion.”

“Still, there’s so much pressure. If we do one thing wrong-” he was cut off by Poe abruptly standing up and putting a finger over his mouth. 

“Stop. You’re overthinking and that’s not going to help anyone right now.” He removed his finger from Finn’s lips and tightly wrapped his arms around him in a hug. “You’re okay. We’re okay. We’re in this together.”

Poe held Finn for a minute, until he felt him slowly relax. He retracted a little so he could make eye contact with the other man. “Better?”

“Almost.” Finn pulled Poe back into his arms, the two staying there for a minute, just holding each other. 

Eventually, the two made it back to Poe’s bed. They laid side by side on their backs, holding hands and looking at the ceiling. Neither one of them spoke for a while, but they both found the silence comforting. 

“You know, I’m scared too.” Poe said, turning his head to look at Finn. 

“No!” Finn said sarcastically, dramatically bringing his free hand to his chest. “ _ The _ Poe Dameron has feelings? I would’ve never guessed.” 

Poe chuckled and looked back at the ceiling. “Fuck it. Forget I said anything.” 

Finn released Poe’s hand and turned on his side. He started to rub Poe’s shoulder in a soothing way. “I was just joking around. Go on, continue.” 

Poe sighed. “There’s just  _ so _ much to do. I’m not quite sure I can do this.” 

“Are you kidding?” Finn exclaimed. “You’re so capable of doing this! Leia wouldn’t have appointed you if you weren’t.” 

Poe silently nodded. Finn was right; it was Leia’s last orders to appoint him as active general. She had thought he would be the one that would help the Resistance win the war and bring peace back to the galaxy, and he knew to trust her judgement. 

Poe sat up and Finn followed suit. “Thank you. I appreciate it, I really do.” He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Finn’s lips. They stayed close for a minute, until Poe got out of bed and started to pull a shirt on. 

“Come on, people are starting to go out. We deserve one more night of fun before the serious business starts tomorrow.” 

Finn agreed and got out of bed.

Rey laid still in her bed, curled up in a ball and just staring off. The night was young- the sun hadn’t set yet, and people were starting to file outside for what was becoming the daily bonfires. However, Rey couldn’t find the energy or motivation to get up. Tomorrow, the real planning would begin, signaling the war was over, officially putting the First Order and Ben behind her. 

The thing is, she didn’t  _ want _ to put Ben behind her. Yet, she had no choice. Rey still hadn’t mustered up the courage to tell anyone about what truly had happened, and this point, she wasn’t sure if she ever would. Instead, she was trying her best to enjoy this time of rest with her friends; it was all she could do. 

A quick knock on her door knocked Rey out of the trance. She flinched a little at the sound, but then stood up to go answer it. 

“Well good morning!” Rose said sarcastically, realizing Rey had just gotten out of bed. 

Rey playfully rolled her eyes and smirked, then turned around to go back in her quarters, Rose following her. She returned to her spot on the bed, and Rose took a seat in a chair across from her friend. The two women made small talk for a few minutes, and Rose couldn’t help but notice Rey’s distantness. 

“Do you want to go out and join everyone?” she asked, in an attempt to get Rey out of her funk. 

“I think I just want to lay low tonight, especially with the big meeting tomorrow.” 

Rose gave her a soft smile, trying to hide the disappointment in Rey’s answer. “Well, will you come get dinner with me at least? The mess hall will be dead, we’ll practically be alone.” 

Rey nodded and agreed. She wasn’t in the mood for a lot of people, but she did want to spend some more time with her best friend. “You’re right. Let’s go.” Both of them got up and left the quarters, making their way to the mess hall. 

The large room was much quieter than usual, only a few tables were occupied. During the war, it was usually bustling with activity. It was odd seeing it this silent, but Rey didn’t mind. 

“So, how are you feeling about tomorrow?” Rose asked, bringing up a spoonful of food to her mouth. 

“I mean, Finn and Poe are smart about this stuff. I’m positive they’ll send us down the right path. It’s just-” She paused for a second, looking down at the table. “-I can’t believe the war is really over.” 

Rose grinned. “Me neither, sometimes I don’t think it’s fully hit me yet. Maybe it will tomorrow.” She said cheerfully. 

Rey could sense the other woman’s happiness, and by no means wanted to bring any negativity into their conversation. “You know what? You’re probably right.” She said before quickly changing the topic. 

“Anyway…” Rey started, puckering her lips and making a face. Rose rolled her eyes, knowing immediately what she was about to bring up. The pair spoke simultaneously. 

“Don’t-” 

“Plan on kissing Finn again anytime soon?” 

Rose huffed and buried her face in one of her hands. It was true, she  _ had _ kissed Finn back on Crait, but that was more of a “I could die any second” motivated kiss. Once she had recovered from her injuries, her and Finn came to the revelation that they loved each other in more of a friend type of way. However, Rey refused to let them live it down so easily. 

“Haha. Very funny.” she said, moving her hand away from her face. “ _ I _ don’t plan on kissing anyone anytime soon. What about you Rey? Our precious little Jedi finally going to get some?” 

Rey’s eyes widened, she wasn’t expecting to discuss that topic tonight. She forced out a small fake laugh, in an attempt to stop any tears from forming. She hurriedly thought of a response that would satisfy Rose and stop this conversation from going any further. 

“Well  _ technically _ Jedis aren’t even supposed to….” She struggled to find the words. “...do that.” Rose was about to interject, but Rey held up a hand to stop her. “ _ But _ , I  _ am _ the only Jedi left so I guess if I found the right guy, I wouldn’t necessarily be against it. We’ll have to see what happens.” 

Rey was pleased with her answer and hoped Rose would move on. She smiled gently and took a sip of water. 

“I think you and Poe would be cute.” 

Rey nearly choked. She grabbed her cup and downed more water, desperately trying to stop her coughing fit. All Rose could do was sit back and chuckle in her seat. 

“So you agree with me then?” she asked once Rey had stopped coughing. 

She cleared her throat one final time. “What? What do you mean?” 

“I mean, I made the suggestion and then you-” Rose gestured to the cup. 

Rey shook her head. “You just took me by surprise, that’s all. Poe’s my friend, I don’t see him like that.” 

“Got it.” Rose said, nodding. “Is there anyone you  _ are _ interested in?” 

_ Ben! Ben Solo! _ Rey’s mind roared at her. She softened at Rose’s question, and Rose could pick up on the sudden change of mood. 

“Hey, you can tell me anything, no judgement. That’s what best friends are for.” She reached across the table and squeezed both of Rey’s hands. 

Rey took a deep breath. She could tell Rose, but not go too far into detail, right? That wouldn’t necessarily be lying, right? 

“There was someone, once. He-I-We-we didn’t work out, that’s all. Not a huge deal.”  _ Liar _ , Rey thought, as she swallowed the lump in her throat. 

“Well screw him then, he clearly doesn’t deserve you anyway.” Rose said with a smile. 

Rey just nodded in agreement, trying her best to avoid going any deeper into the subject. Rose seemed to catch onto the signal and changed the topic back to the meeting tomorrow. After fifteen minutes of just enjoying one another’s company, Rose looked down at her watch. 

“I told Jannah I would have a drink with her tonight, so I better get going. Are you sure you don’t want to join? You don’t have to drink or anything, you can just come hang.” 

Rey smiled but shook her head. “Thanks for the offer, but I think I’m just going to turn in. We got an early morning tomorrow.” 

Rose stood up and grabbed her tray. “Okay. But you better save me a seat tomorrow.” She said in a jokingly serious voice while pointing her finger. 

Rey chuckled and gave a half wave as Rose turned and walked away, leaving her alone. She sat for a moment, fumbling around with her fork. Tomorrow would mark the start of a new era, and she wasn’t sure if she was prepared for that. She took a deep breath and stood up, ready to sneak back to her quarters for the night. 

Poe was up before the sun, nervously getting ready in his ‘fresher. Despite Finn’s reassurance, he was still anxious for the meeting. He finished fixing his hair and returned to his bedroom to count down the minutes until he had to leave. 

After what felt like hours, Finn knocked on Poe’s door, and he practically jumped off the bed to let him in. 

“Come in.” 

They stood in the center of the room and discussed how the meeting would go. Both of them had told Lieutenant Connix and Commander D’Acy to begin to brainstorm ideas, to use as a starting point. Poe and Finn finalized the agenda and left the quarters. 

Everyone had filed into the small meeting area, waiting for the arrival of the generals. The group consisted of Rey, Rose, Jannah, Lieutenant Connix, Commander D’Acy and a few of the higher-ups that were left. 

Rey faked a smile as she and Rose made small talk with Jannah. The group fell silent as the two generals entered the area. 

Poe greeted them all with a warm smile. “Congratulations are in order. We’ve defeated the First Order, as well as Palpatine. We have Rey to thank for that.” He gestured towards her and everyone erupted into a round of applause. 

After a few seconds, Poe raised his hands. “Okay, okay. We’ve celebrated quite enough.” A few chuckles came from the group. “It’s time to start looking to the future. Specifically, the future of the Resistance and the Republic.” 

Poe turned to look at Finn and nodded, silently encouraging him to speak. “Poe and I are thankful for your guys’ support. We’re all going to need to have each other’s back during this time.” 

Everyone mumbled, seemingly agreeing. Poe clapped his hands together to gather everyone’s attention. “So let’s get started. This is not going to be an easy, quick task. Today we just want to try and come up with some starting points. That being said, Connix, D’Acy, I’m yielding the floor to you.” 

The two women looked at each other and nodded. 

“Generals,” Connix started, “D’Acy and I both agree that our main priority right now should be unity. There are many people in the galaxy that have doubts about the Resistance still.” She turned towards the other woman. 

“We think, um, having a strong duo would be beneficial to the future of the Republic. Two people to start laying the foundation.” 

Finn squinted with confusion. “What about Poe and I? After all, we  _ are _ the generals. Is that not a strong enough duo?”

“What the Commander means is… a romantic duo. A couple, if you will.” Connix said.

Rose leaned over to Rey and whispered, “What the hell are they talking about?” Rey just shrugged and subtly shook her head. 

Poe crossed his arms and shook his head. “I’m not following.” 

D’Acy swallowed hard. “Generals, can I be blunt?”

“Please.” Poe said, bringing a hand up to his chin. 

“General Dameron, it was General Organa’s last order to place you in your current position. Therefore, the galaxy already has a lot of trust in you. Connix and I both agree that having a wife by your side would be in the Resistance’s best interest.” 

Poe furrowed his brows and looked at Finn, who had a shocked look on his face. Both men had many questions swirling through their heads, and Finn spoke first. 

“Wh-why do you think that?”

Connix stepped forward. “Not only would it provide General Dameron with a support system, but it would also show how the Resistance is even more united, in a familial sense.” 

Finn went to object, but Poe put a hand on the other man’s chest to stop him. “I understand. I’m willing to do whatever is best for the Resistance, and I trust you. What are the next steps?”

Finn was surprised at Poe’s fast agreement to the plan. Sure, they hadn’t made their relationship  _ official _ , but there was still  _ something _ there, right? Maybe he had been reading too much into things. 

Commander D’Acy pulled out a few papers from the file she held in her hands. “Well, you and your fiance would just have to sign this contract, it goes over the basics really.”

Poe shook his hand. “Whoa, whoa, and who is my fiance exactly?” 

Rey tried her best to ignore Rose poking her knee teasingly. 

Connix shrugged. “That’s where we got stuck. We weren’t sure if you were going to agree to this plan- surely anyone here would be capable-”

“What about Rey?” Jannah suggested. Everyone sat in silence for what felt like minutes. “What? The general said so himself, we have her to thank for helping us win the war. A lot of people in the galaxy look up to her, it makes sense.” 

Everyone in the room started talking amongst themselves, saying things like “That is a good point” or “That makes perfect sense!”. They all seemed to be on board with the plan. 

Rey’s eyes widened as she turned to look at Rose. She leaned in close to Rey, “You know you don’t have to do anything right? Let’s see what everyone says.” 

Rey felt knots starting to form in her stomach. She had told Rose last night that maybe someday she would settle down, but she definitely did not see this one coming. Her mind flashed to Ben, dying in her arms.  _ He’d want me to be happy, and restoring peace to the galaxy will make me happy _ . 

“I’ll do it.” 

The room went quiet immediately. Finn and Poe, who seemed to be in an in-depth conversation about the marriage turned to look at her. 

“Rey, you don’t have to-” Poe started. 

She cut him off. “Lieutenant Connix and Commander D’Arcy are right, this would greatly benefit our cause. Please, let me do this. Let me do my part for the Resistance.”

Poe just nodded. 

“Now, where do I sign?” Rey said as she moved towards the table where the contract laid, waiting for the two signatures. 

Poe stepped away from Finn to join Rey, and Finn was completely shocked at this point. When he woke up this morning, he didn’t know what to expect from this meeting, but he certainly wasn’t expecting for his two best friends to become engaged. 

Well, maybe Poe was more than a best friend. Maybe. 

But that thought opened up a completely new can of worms. 

Rey bent down to sign the contract, but Poe grabbed her hand before the pen met the paper. “Wait, before we sign  _ anything _ , what does this contract exactly consist of?” 

From the opposite side of the table, Connix began to lay out the general statements. “First of all, you must stay married. If either party tries to break off the engagement or the marriage, they could lose their position. Let’s see… nothing else too extreme. Public appearances, joint speeches if necessary, and producing at least one heir.” 

Rey gulped, but hid the shock well. “Okay…” she said looking up at Poe. “Sounds good to me.” She bent down and scribbled her name, Poe doing the same. 

Everyone clapped and cheered while the two just stood there, not knowing what to do. Poe looked back, trying to meet Finn’s eyes. But the other general just stood there with a weak smile, softly clapping. 

“This bids well for our future!” D’Acy exclaimed, while rubbing her hands together. “We’ll wait a few days to make the official announcement to everyone else. Until then, we must keep this under wraps.” 

Poe nodded. “Yes absolutely. Once we make the engagement public knowledge we will continue to develop further plans.” He looked to Finn. “I think this is a good starting point. Anything else you want to address?”

Finn shook his head. “I think we’re done here. Meeting dismissed.” Everyone slowly started to file out.

“General Dameron, Rey, wait!” Connix said, before turning and leaving the area. D’Acy chuckled at the woman’s rush to leave. Finn had stayed behind too, wanting to have a word with his two friends, but that would have to wait until the three of them had a moment in private. 

Poe turned to Rey. “You didn’t have to do that you know.”

“What? You don’t want me to be your wife?” She said with a smirk. 

Poe’s eyes widened and he grew flustered. “No-no it’s not that-I-it’s just a big thing to commit to. ” 

“Oh please. It’s not like the wedding’s tomorrow.” She raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Right?” 

He just chuckled in return, as Connix came back with some glasses and a bottle of champagne. She poured some glasses for the small group, and Rey reluctantly grabbed one. 

D’Acy raised her glass. “You two have done a great thing today. I want to thank you personally, but I can imagine that Connix and the other general agree.” Finn nodded weakly, and Connix beamed. “May your marriage bring success to the Resistance and restore peace to the galaxy. To the Dameron’s!”

Rey raised her eyebrows and fake smiled. She weakly rose her glass and clinked it with Poe’s. “To the Dameron’s.” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you're enjoying this story so far :))


	3. Starting Rumors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Poe need to start spreading rumors about their relationship, while still trying to figure out the logistics of everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, it's been awhile! This past semester of school has just been crazy, and I didn't get to writing. Thanks for your patience, it is much appreciated! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or Star Wars.

“To the Dameron’s.” 

Rey quickly gulped down a sip of champagne and cringed as the gravity of the situation began to weigh in. The Dameron’s. Rey Dameron. Oh well, at least it was better than Rey Palpatine. 

Part of her felt guilty; as if she was betraying Ben. On the other hand, this entire situation would definitely serve as a good distraction.  _ Plus, it’s not as if I can be with Ben anyway _ . Rey thought to herself in an attempt to calm her internal turmoil. 

“You know, to get things rolling, the two of you should go out on a date! Get people to start murmuring about it.” D’Acy said cheerfully. 

Poe looked at Rey and shrugged jokingly. “Sure, I think we can handle that.”

Rey chuckled and prayed that the group didn’t notice her fake laughter and happiness. 

“D’Acy and I better get going.” Lieutenant Connix started, “We’ll meet in a few days to plan out our next steps and the announcement.” 

The two women made their way out. “Generals, Rey.” D’Acy commented before fully leaving. 

Finn awkwardly cleared his throat and tried to ease the tension quickly filling the air.. “So… uh… what flowers are you guys thinking of going with?” He finished his question with a small chuckle. 

When neither of them laughed, Finn quickly regained a serious tone. “No seriously, you guys didn’t have to do that-you don’t have to do this. I mean I’m sure we could easily work something out-” 

“Finn. Stop. It’s alright, everything’s going to be fine.” Rey assured him. 

“Rey-”

“Don’t.” She quickly looked between the two men. “I’m going to go. Poe, meet me at my quarters later? We can figure out our first… date.” The word felt strange rolling off her tongue. She shot a quick smile at both of them. 

Before either man could say anything, she was out the door, leaving both of them in awkward silence. 

“Something’s wrong with Rey.” Poe said, still facing the door. 

Finn spoke at the same time. “What the hell were you thinking?” he exclaimed before realizing what Poe had said. 

“Wait what? You think something’s wrong with Rey?” Finn asked. 

Poe shook his head subtly in confusion. “There has to be. I mean, she agreed to marry  _ me _ for fuck’s sake. She hates me.”

“Oh come on, she doesn’t  _ hate _ you. I mean, she agreed to marry you, that must mean something!” Finn exclaimed, his voice rising slightly. 

Poe stood there silently, his mind going a million miles per hour. “I have no idea what’s going on, but we’re gonna have to get to the bottom of this.” he finally said.    


Finn didn’t respond for a moment, carefully planning out what he was going to say next. “Poe… what about us?” 

The other general whipped his head to look Finn directly in the eyes. “Maker… I don’t know. I wanna be with you Finn, I do, but this whole situation complicates things.” 

Finn shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah, no, yeah. I totally get it. Forget I said anything.” 

Poe brought his hand to his temple. “Stars, no, just-” He paused for a moment to take a breath. “I  _ want _ to be with you. I do.”

“But…?” Finn asked. 

“What?” 

“I don’t know. Usually seems like there’d be a ‘but’ right about now.” he said, shrugging. 

Poe shook his head. “There’s no but. Well, there kinda is. I don’t think we should tell Rey or anyone about us, at least for now. We need to see how she’s feeling and what she's thinking. I can try to talk to her more about it later.” 

Finn nodded. “You’re right. I’m sorry if I sounded selfish. It’s just a lot.” 

Poe moved closer to him, and wrapped his hands around the other man’s face. “Hey, hey. No need to apologize. There’s a lot that was sprung on us today. We’ll figure it out.” He pulled him in for a kiss. “Together.” 

  
  


By the time Rey arrived at her quarters, Rose was already there, leaning against the door with her arms crossed. 

“Well, well, well. If it isn't the future Mrs. Dameron.” 

Rey let out a short snicker. “What? Are you jealous or something?” she asked jokingly. 

She opened up the door and went inside, Rose quickly following behind her and shutting the door. 

“No, I just want to know what’s going on. Yesterday you said you weren’t looking for anyone, now you’re engaged. What gives?” 

Rey sat down on her bed and looked at the floor, then glanced up to meet Rose’s eyes. “It’s not like I’m in love with Poe, it’s just what I need to do for the Resistance. That’s all.” 

Rose stared at her expectantly, feeling she was going to say more. Rey wanted to keep talking, wanted to tell Rose everything, but she couldn’t. Especially now. If she really wanted to sell her relationship with Poe, there could absolutely be no rumors floating around. 

When she realized Rose was waiting for her to say more, Rey just shrugged. “I don’t know what else you want me to say.” 

Rose shook her head and looked up at the ceiling. “I just don’t know what’s the matter with you Rey. Ever since Exegol-” 

“You have no idea what I went through on Exegol!” Rey snapped, surprising herself with her outburst. 

Without missing a beat, Rose raised her voice to meet Rey’s. “Then tell me! I want to help you!” she said urgently, shaking her hands. 

Rey took a deep breath and settled down. “I...don’t….” She struggled to find the words. 

Rose tilted her head. “You don’t what? You don’t want to tell me? You don’t want my help? Tell me!” Her eyes widened with worry. 

Rey bit her lip nervously. “I just… can’t tell you… I’m sorry.” 

Crossing her arms, Rose shook her head as her concern slowly turned into anger. “Well when you feel like talking to me about it, you know where to find me.” She turned to leave the room. 

Rey stood up from the bed. “Wait! I-” It was too late, the door had already closed behind her friend as she left. 

She threw her head in her hands. “Ugh! I can’t believe this!” She snatched her lightsaber off her belt and chucked it towards the small desk, knocking what few possessions she had onto the floor. The tears started to prickle in her eyes. She lost Ben, and now was engaged to one of her close friends. Other women would be celebrating such an occasion, but all she wanted to do was cry. Rey bit her lip and swallowed hard, pushing away the tears as she headed to pick up the mess she had made. 

Not wanting to waste any time, Poe had just decided to go to Rey’s quarters now for their “date”. He wasn’t sure what to call it,  _ I mean it is a date and we are going to be married- _ he thought to himself, but it just didn’t feel right. 

He turned a corner, and saw Rose walking in a huff. “Woah, what’s going on?” he asked, putting his hands up to stop her. She stopped walking and paused for a moment. 

“Is everything alright?” he asked again. 

“Why don’t you go ask your  _ fiance _ about it?” Rose said, spitting the word out as if it were an insult. She didn’t leave any time for Poe to come up with a reply. Growing worried, he started moving faster to get to Rey’s quarters. 

Rey had just finished cleaning the small mess up when she heard a knock on the door. “Come in” she said, expecting it to be Rose. 

“Rey, I just ran into Rose, is everything alright?” Poe asked, entering the space. 

“Oh-hi” was Rey’s response, a little surprised to see Poe standing there. 

“Uh, yeah. Everything’s fine. Nothing to worry about.” she exhaled and sat down in a chair. 

Poe walked closer to her, but still respecting her personal space. “You sure?”

Rey shrugged. “Yeah, just a small argument. I’m sure it’ll blow over soon.” 

“About what?” he asked, but then quickly made the realization that he might be prying. “You know what, you don’t need to tell me. Forget I asked.” 

Rey smirked to herself. “Actually… it was about you. She’s jealous that I get to marry you when she’s been in love with you forever.” Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. 

Not catching the joke, Poe raised his eyebrows and nearly choked on air. “I-what? Are you serious?” 

Rey burst into laughter. “Stars no! Man flyboy, you sure are gullible.”

Poe pursed his lips and pointed his finger at Rey. “Hey, that’s general flyboy to you.” 

“Oh, my mistake. So sorry to disrespect you  _ general _ .” Rey said sarcastically, putting her hand on her chest and rolling her eyes. The two shared a brief moment of laughter. “You don’t need to worry though. It was no big deal, honestly.” 

“Alright, whatever you say. The reason I stopped over was, well, I wanted to take you on our first… date.” For reasons he couldn’t identify, he was nervous about saying that last word. 

Rey sat up straight. “Oh. Well, it is almost lunchtime, I guess we can go down to the mess hall.”

He shook his head. “I have a better idea. You deserve better than just the plain old mess hall.”

She shrugged. “I don’t mind.” 

“Nope. I got a plan. Do you trust me?” 

Rey furrowed her eyebrows and smiled. “Sure…” 

Poe navigated the two of them through the base. They took a quick stop at the mess hall to snag some sandwiches, then outside into the wilderness of Ajan Kloss. He stopped when they reached what appeared to be a wall of trees. 

“Ta-da!” he exclaimed, gesturing to the forest. 

Confusion was clear as day on Rey’s face. “Wow, uh, great. Not like I haven’t seen the forest before.” she finished with a small chuckle. 

Poe smirked. “Well, if you would let me finish…” he stopped mid-sentence to move some of the trees out of the way, and guided Rey through them. 

“Wow…” Rey said, drinking in the sight. There was a large clearing, hidden by a circle of trees. There was a smaller pond, with flowers surrounding it. 

“How did you find this?” she asked, turning around to look at Poe. 

“Pilot trainee. Bad landing.” he said, making her laugh. 

The two of them sat on a blanket near the edge of the pond, eating and making small talk. They mainly talked about the war ending, and what was next for the Resistance. Eventually though, the pair had no choice but to discuss the elephant in the room. 

“So, um, we should maybe talk about the engagement.” Poe said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“...Yeah.” Rey said, staring forward at her blurry reflection in the water. Her thoughts instantly turned to Ben, and how she wished he could tell her what to do. 

Before Poe could get another word out, Rey took a deep breath and turned to face him. “Can I be honest with you?” she asked nervously. 

Poe nodded. “Of course.” 

“I…” she took a moment to try and compose her thoughts. There was a lot she wanted to tell him, but she knew for the time being she would have to keep some things to herself. 

“I… I don’t think I really want a romantic relationship right now. You’re a great friend, and I just want things to stay how they are. Or be as close to normal as they can be.” she quickly turned away, unsure of how he would react to the rejection. 

Poe was relieved. He still had the entire Finn situation to figure out, and hearing that Rey wasn’t interested in him romantically took a weight off of his chest.

“I feel the same way. I think we just need to put on a good show for everyone, and show how unified the Resistance is.” he purposefully left out his relationship with Finn. The three of them could talk about that later. 

“Good. It seems like we’re on the same page then.” Rey said with a smile. 

“Yep.” Poe said, nodding. 

The two of them sat in comfortable silence for a moment. Poe went to adjust the chain around his neck, catching Rey’s attention. 

“Why do you always wear that chain?” she blurted out, quickly catching her rudeness. “Sorry, you don’t have to answer that. Just curious.” 

Poe smiled and pulled the necklace out from under his shirt, revealing a silver ring around the chain. “No need to apologize.” 

He grabbed the ring and moved it through his fingers. His tone slightly changed as he kept his eyes focused on the band.“It was my mom’s. Her wedding ring. She, uh, died a long time ago, I was only eight. I’ve always wanted to give this to the person I lov- the person I’m going to marry.” He swallowed the lump forming his throat and turned to Rey. “So I guess this will be yours soon.” 

Rey offered him a small smile. “It’s beautiful. Your mom sounds lovely, it’s an honor that I’ll get to wear it.” She said, referring to the ring. 

Poe smiled. “Yeah, she was. Hell of a pilot too, taught me almost everything I know. My father was great too. They both were a part of the Rebellion.” He sighed. “I wish they were still here to see how things turned out.” 

Rey placed a gentle hand on his arm. “I’m sure they would be very proud of you.”

He smiled. “I’d like to think the same thing too.” He tucked the ring back into his shirt and leaned back on the soft grass. 

“So… I told you about mine. What were your parents like?” he asked. 

Rey’s stomach turned. For the longest time, she only knew them as scavengers on Jakku. This was her chance to tell the truth to someone, tell someone she was truly a Palpatine. She really considered it for a moment. 

“They were scavengers. Like me. We lived in the deserts of Jakku, each day searching for something in exchange for portions or credits.” she stopped for a minute, still contemplating revealing the true story of her parents. 

“Then one day, they sold me…”  _ To protect me _ she thought to herself. “...for more credits. After that I just kept on scavenging. Day after day waiting for them to come back, but they never did. Then one day BB-8 showed up and everything changed.”

She tried to laugh at that last part to lighten the mood, but it was too late. Poe had sat up, concern and pity filling his eyes.    
“Oh Rey, I’m so sorry. That’s horrible.” 

She shook her head. “Thank you, but it’s alright. I’m here now and I’ve got you, Finn, Rose, and everybody else.” 

She looked forward again. The sun was just beginning to set, and orange and pinkish colors filled the sky. 

“Maybe we should head back to the base.” Poe said, starting to get up. He held out a hand for Rey and helped her stand. 

By the time they got closer, the sun had set and a few people had gathered outside for bonfires. Poe grabbed Rey’s hand, surprising her slightly. “Let’s put on a good show for ‘em” he whispered, flashing her a grin. 

She chuckled. “Yes, time to start some rumors.” 

They passed the group, Poe waving with his free hand. A few people were taken back, but for the most part just smiled and waved back. The pair made their way inside, and reached Rey’s quarters. They stopped outside her door as more people walked by. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow  _ babe _ .” Poe emphasized the last word loud enough so anyone could hear. 

Rey swallowed her laugh. She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek, definitely catching the attention of the people near them. 

Poe smiled and mouthed “Nice.”, gaining a laugh from Rey. 

“Seriously though, I’ll see you tomorrow. We can hang out with Finn. Besides, I probably need to talk to Rose.” 

He nodded. “Sounds good.” He cleared his throat and spoke loud once again. “Have a good night,  _ sweetheart _ .”

Rey rolled her eyes. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Am not. But for real though, I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

She nodded and waved as he began to walk away. 

As Poe navigated the hallways of the Resistance base, he could hear the murmurs of those around him. 

“Did you see that? Rey kissed the General’s cheek!”

“I swear he called her babe.”

“I heard they were holding hands outside!”

Poe smiled to himself as he kept walking. Maybe this plan was going to work after all. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again so so much for being patient! I hope to get more chapters out soon, and have a more routine schedule once classes start back up again. I'd love to hear what you guys are thinking! Thanks for reading, see you soon! <3


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